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Q: Clipping nails in public - acceptable to tell them off?
Anyone who's been here long enough has probably seen people clipping nails in public.
I've had one guy in the plane removing his shoes and socks to clip his toenails just beside me, sending pieces flying everywhere, and just the other day in a restaurant at the table beside me a guy was clipping his nails... on both accounts I said nothing, fighting the gag reflex.
Is it okay to tell them off? Are other Chinese grossed out by this? How have you handled this in the past?
I have seen it done a few times too. And what I do is to look in another direction and ignore them. I agree that to us it is gross, and shows poor manners, but to them it is a common thing. And we are at their home, as guests, so unless nail clippings fall on me or my dinner, I will keep my big mouth closed.
Remember, in a way Chinese nationals are used to the idea that I do what I want to do, anytime I please, where I please, with whom I please, and damn the rest. To tell them off will be a waste of time and energy.
Frankly, why waste your energy? Yes, for sure it is disgusting. And no, no matter what you say, I doubt it very much that he or she would stop that kind of behavior. That being said, I would have said something to guy on the airplane because frankly, he has his space and you have yours. He wouldn't have liked it -- so what, who cares -- but I am sure that he would have ceased, if for no other reason than you took his face, so to speak.
Why would you tell them off when they won't understand what your saying. A guy one time he slapped the cigarette bud out of another persons hand cause he didn't like cigarettes. If you don't like the person clipping the nails in front of you and it bother you that much just slap it out of his hand than get off the train so they won't be able to follow you. Just make sure you do it right before the train or bus stops so you can get off quickly. But seriously a guy smacked this guys' cigarette bud out of his hand and the every time the guy picked it up he would hit it out of his hand again and it looked effective to me.
